


Two Minds

by sabinelagrande



Series: Aid [1]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Facials, Friends With Benefits, Intercrural Sex, M/M, Praise Kink, Sensation Play
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-07
Updated: 2018-08-07
Packaged: 2019-06-23 04:05:14
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,126
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15597921
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sabinelagrande/pseuds/sabinelagrande
Summary: Caleb just needs someone who understands.





	Two Minds

Some time had passed. It was not enough time for some things, but enough for others. It was enough that Clay was part of the group, but not enough for him to stop referring to his guardianship of the graveyard in the present tense. Caleb supposed that would take much longer; compared to how much time he spent there, Clay had passed only instants away.

But for now it was a nice night, even with the chill of late winter in the air. The members of their motley band sat around a fire, talking about this and that before it became time to set watches and get some sleep.

"At least, that's how they do it in Nicodranis," Jester said, concluding a story that had Fjord blushing a deep green and Beau grinning ear to ear.

"That was very educational," Caleb allowed, because he'd certainly learned a thing or two.

"Huh," Clay said. "If you don't mind my asking, how did you, ah, come across that?"

"Jester's mom is-" Beau started.

"The most be-a-u-tiful courtesan in all of Wildemount," Jester finished.

"Ah," Clay said. "That's good work."

"That's not an answer I expected," Fjord said, after a pause.

"They give comfort to people who need it," Clay said, unbothered. "Maybe there are more worthy things to do, but I don't know of any."

"It's a little bit different than the kind of comfort you give in a graveyard," Beau said.

Clay chuckled. "It's really not."

"Wait," Nott said. "Are you saying you-" She left the question hanging, motioning for a response when Clay didn't answer immediately. 

"Mourners want all kinds of things," Clay said. "Most of them want a hot drink, a sympathetic ear. Many of them want to be held. Some of them want to use their bodies to forget. I don't mind doing that for them, if they think it will help."

"What if it's just covering up the problem?" Beau asked.

"I'm not the one who decides that," Clay said. "If I start judging how people cope, I'll never stop."

"I'll drink to that shit," Fjord said.

And the conversation moved on, though Caleb suspected all of them felt a little differently about Clay after that revelation. Caleb certainly did, but perhaps not in a way that would have been easy to explain to the others. He definitely was not in a hurry to try, even though he had a sense that he might have found what he was looking for.

By the time he got the nerve to approach Clay, they were in Zadash, posted up in an out-of-the-way tavern. As always, Caleb was sharing a room with Nott, and he quietly gave it a miss, walking instead further down the hallway to where Clay was staying.

"Come on in," Clay said through the door when Caleb knocked, which struck Caleb as both dangerous and typical.

Caleb opened the door to find Clay sitting on the bed, up against the headboard, a book in his lap. From here, it didn't look like anything elaborate or fancy, just the type of book you might pick up for pleasure.

"I see you are a reader," Caleb said.

"I spent a lot of time reading the same books over and over again," Clay said. "Having some variety is nice." He held up the book. "This one isn't great, but it has a kind of charm to it."

"I am particularly interested in books with charms," Caleb said.

Clay chuckled. "If I find any, I'll let you know," he said. "So, did you come to discuss reading material, or something else?"

Caleb instantly lost whatever calm he'd attained from their small talk. "I would like, perhaps-" he said, then put up his hands. "If you are not too busy- if you are I can come back, or maybe drop the subject entirely-"

"Tell me what you want, and I'll tell you if I'm too busy," Clay said.

"You spoke about, earlier, the other day-" Caleb realized he was wringing his hands and forced himself to stop. He took a breath, letting it out slowly. "I am not the sort of person who goes around seeking out love, nor am I the sort who trades coin for a bedmate. But you are a friend to me, and I think you might understand what it is I want."

Clay looked contemplatively at Caleb, sizing him up. "On one condition," he said finally.

"Name it," Caleb said, feeling nervous.

"You do need a bath," Clay said, almost apologetic. "You can live how you want, but firbolgs, we have very sensitive noses-"

"No, no, that is perfectly agreeable," Caleb said, relieved. "I will be back in half an hour."

"Take your time," Clay said, sitting down and picking his book back up. "I'll be here."

A bath was easily procured, and Caleb was more thorough than he had been in a long time. It only seemed fair; he was asking Clay to give of himself without much in return but Caleb's fumbling attentions, and the very least he could do was not offend Clay's sensibilities. He even cleaned his clothes somewhat, courtesy of the woman at the baths offering prestidigitation for a few copper.

It of course gave him plenty of time to rethink his decision to come to Clay at all, but he was already here, wasn't he? He'd already admitted to Clay what he wanted, in terms that were vague but just specific enough to be damning. Clay seemed to have no issue with it, which was miles away from how other people had dealt with him. It wasn't too late to walk away, but in the deepest part of him, Caleb just didn't want to.

This time, Caleb rapped on the door and let himself in without waiting. Clay was where Caleb left him, but not quite in the same state. He'd removed his shirt, draping it over the back of a chair next to where his armor was laid out. He had a thick patch of chest fur, thinning out above his stomach before appearing again as what Caleb had heard referred to cheekily as a treasure trail. He made a very attractive picture, even though Caleb was still getting his mind around thinking of firbolgs as attractive at all.

Clay looked up from his book; the way his nose twitched as he sniffed the air was probably involuntary, and Caleb chose not to feel judged by it. "You're back," he said, setting his book down on the night table and swinging his legs off the bed.

"And so I am," Caleb said. Clay said nothing for a moment, and Caleb started to panic. "I don't- how do-"

"This is easier if I sit and you stand," Clay said, spreading his legs and beckoning Caleb to him. 

When Caleb stepped forward, Clay put his hands on Caleb's hips, arranging him to his liking, between Clay's thighs. It was better like this; at this angle, Clay was almost level with Caleb's height, instead of being nearly two feet taller. Caleb realized he really had no idea where to put his hands, so he set them uncertainly on Clay's shoulders.

"How do you want it?" Clay asked, forthright without being harsh.

"Are there options?" Caleb said.

"Plenty," Clay said, with a gentle smile. "Do you want me to kiss you?"

Caleb swallowed. "Please."

Clay leaned up and pressed his lips against Caleb's. He did it so surely, like it was a natural thing to be doing instead of the edge of artifice that Caleb felt, and Caleb let himself relax. Clay took over easily, his tongue exploring Caleb's mouth, hands moving no further but anchoring Caleb in place.

Caleb couldn't remember the last time he'd been kissed, not that his memories of kissing were the sort of uncomplicated things that he'd blissfully remember. This was nice, though; Clay didn't rush, which seemed characteristic of him. Caleb leaned into him just a little bit, arms around Clay's neck, and kissed back, trying to remember the rhythm of it, the notes to hit.

"Do you want me to touch you?" Clay asked when he finally pulled back, and Caleb realized he'd never moved his hands from Caleb's hips.

"Yes," Caleb sighed.

"May I take your shirt off?" Clay asked.

"Scheisse," Caleb said, feeling a bit stupid. "Here, let me-"

"It's okay," Clay said, putting a hand on his shoulder. "I promise you that it is."

Caleb drooped. "I'm not very good at this."

"I probably haven't done it in ten seasons," Clay said, shrugging.

"But you seem so much like you know what you're doing," Caleb said.

"I have a lot more than ten seasons on me," Clay said. "And the only thing that makes me look self-assured is that I'm taking my time." He looked at Caleb appraisingly. "Would it make you feel better if I just took over?"

"I think that would make me feel much better, yes," Caleb said.

"I want you to feel as good as possible," Clay said, and Caleb arched as Clay ran a hand down his spine, ending at Caleb's ass and squeezing. Clay kissed him before Caleb could stammer any more, taking control like it was nothing. And maybe it could be; maybe Caleb could just let this happen and not panic any further. 

Clay didn't ask permission this time as he pushed Caleb's shirt up and off, catching his lips again after he did it so that Caleb couldn't get away. Perhaps it wasn't a surprise that he needed that, less room to run off or rethink his decisions. He might feel differently later, but right now he didn't want to rethink this. He just needed it to happen.

Caleb groaned as Clay cupped him through his breeches. His cock was already hard, and he pressed back against Clay's hand, needing more. Clay gave it to him, running his palm up and down the ridge of Caleb's cock as they kissed. If this continued much longer, it would end right here. Maybe that wasn't such a bad idea, keeping this minimal, but Caleb wanted more than that, now that he had it open to him.

Clay's fingers worked quickly on the laces of Caleb's breeches, and then Caleb was naked in front of him. That was all it took for Caleb to feel thrown, unbalanced, even though Clay didn't seem to notice.

"I think you should take your clothes off," Caleb said, taking a half-step back to give him room.

"I don't mind doing that," Clay said. He pushed his breeches down, letting them pool on the floor before easing them out of the way with his foot. It wasn't surprising exactly that Clay had a very big cock, given his size, but Caleb felt guilty that he was less impressed than he was worried that Clay might want to fuck him. Perhaps that would be a thing Caleb would want at some point, if this continued, but it was just too much right now.

Clay said nothing about it, though, just lay back on the bed and pulled Caleb with him. Caleb ended up straddling him, which was probably going to be the only way it worked out with Clay being so much taller. It was a thought, Clay pinning him, but for now this was better, Caleb a bit more in control.

Caleb moved the right way and their cocks rubbed together, sliding easily with precome, and Caleb saw Clay's calm exterior crack for the first time, the way he bit his lip. Rather than looking for more, Clay put his hands on Caleb's hips again, leading him back so that he was seated on Clay's thighs instead of his hips.

"Like this," Clay said, guiding Caleb until his cock slotted between Clay's thighs. "Rock your hips, there we go."

The sensation was like nothing Caleb had felt before. Clay's inner thighs were covered in fur, and it rubbed against Caleb's cock as he thrust. It felt alien, like something Caleb maybe shouldn't have been doing, but it also felt deeply pleasurable, in a way he couldn't quite articulate. He gave up trying, choosing instead to keep moving, pushing into the tight gap.

"That's good," Clay said, running a big hand up and down Caleb's spine almost lazily. "Take what you need."

"What about you?" Caleb asked.

"I'll get there," Clay said, unconcerned. "Keep going."

Caleb decided to take him at his word for the moment, enjoying the friction a little too much to overthink it. Clay went up on his elbows so he could kiss Caleb again, this time down his neck and to his shoulder. Caleb panted as Clay bit down, sucking just hard enough for it to feel good; Caleb would probably have a mark there later, but he rarely showed off his bare shoulders to anyone. It only occurred to him then that he didn't know if he wanted anyone else to know about this; he wasn't ashamed of what they were doing, but he suspected it would be difficult to explain to the others. Maybe that was a thought to have when he wasn't thrusting faster between Clay's thighs, loving the sensation.

"You're doing great," Clay said; his voice was as calm and steady as usual, but the pitch had dropped, in a way that made Caleb fill with heat. "Does it help you to hear that?" he asked, at some sign that Caleb didn't know he was even making.

"Yes," Caleb said. Positive reinforcement had never even been his thing before now, but it suddenly sounded incredibly alluring.

"Good boy," Clay said, and Caleb's rhythm stuttered, so struck he was by the sudden pleasure of it. "That's a good boy, just keep moving."

"Fuck," Caleb said shakily, his hips working faster.

"You look good like this," Clay said, squeezing his thighs tighter together. "I want to see how you look when you come undone."

Caleb was too focused on that very thing to respond. He put a hand on Clay's chest to support himself as he moved, his fingers tangling into the fur there. Clay grabbed his ass with both hands, moving Caleb faster, and Caleb gasped. He didn't have much control left, but it hardly mattered when he was so close he ached for it.

"Come for me," Clay said, and Caleb felt it like fire up his spine. It didn't take much, just a few more thrusts before he was coming, spending himself between Clay's thighs. His hips stuttered to a halt, and Clay stroked his back, a calming counterpoint to the way his heart was racing.

When he was done, Clay tugged him forward, and he ended up sprawled out on Clay's chest. "I think I needed that," Caleb said, still a little dazed, which was definitely an understatement.

Clay kissed the top of his head. "Then I'm glad I was here to give it to you."

Caleb pushed himself up. "But what about you?"

"What about me?" Clay said, as if Caleb couldn't feel the way his cock was trapped between their bodies, hard and ready.

"Is there not a quid pro quo in these things, generally speaking?" Caleb said.

"If you want to, I won't say no," Clay said, though Caleb distrusted how calmly he said it.

"I insist," Caleb said, easing Clay's thighs open to kneel between them. "If you can believe it, I have always had better luck with my mouth than my hand in these situations."

"Whatever you're comfortable with," Clay said, putting a hand behind his head as he watched Caleb.

Clay's cock was much less intimidating when the prospect was just getting it into his mouth. It sat in a thick nest of curls, and Caleb ran his fingers through them, exploring. Clay wiggled a bit, like he was settling in, but his hips bucked up as Caleb wrapped a hand around his cock, stroking it firmly.

"I forgot how good it feels for somebody else to do that," Clay said, like he was apologizing.

"Let me refresh your memory," Caleb said, and he took the head of Clay's cock into his mouth, swiping his tongue over it. Clay made a choked-off noise, and Caleb suddenly realized that maybe this exchange was a little more even than he thought. He himself had been going without, but so had Clay, and whatever inner fortitude Clay had had that held him back while he attended to Caleb was bound to crack shortly.

That didn't make Caleb's technique any better, but he made up for it in enthusiasm, trying to get as much of Clay's cock in his mouth as he could and sucking intently. Clay's hand found the back of his head, and Caleb hummed in encouragement, which only made Clay gasp and tighten his fingers in Caleb's hair.

Something felt triumphant about it, like it was an accomplishment that he could take Clay apart a little, make him lose the calm reserve that Caleb suspected was at least a little put on. Clay deserved it, the space to drop it for a while; after all, that's what he'd given Caleb. 

The thought only made Caleb work harder, trying to do his best to please. It wasn't going to take much, not when Clay was rocking his hips up for more, panting harshly as he got closer to the edge.

"Caleb," Clay said urgently, letting go of Caleb's head. "If you don't- I'm-"

And Clay tried to pull back as Caleb tried to chase after him, and Clay's come ended up mostly on Caleb's face. Caleb had a hard time feeling as disgusted as he thought he should; he opened his mouth instead, letting it stripe across his tongue before swallowing it down. He licked Clay clean before sitting back, taking in the way Clay sprawled against the bed, loose-limbed.

"That was not intentional," Clay said, gesturing to Caleb's face. "But I'd do it again if you liked it."

"I could be persuaded," Caleb said. "If there is to be an again, which strikes me as a big question."

"Does it really have to be?" Clay asked. "You came by, we both got what we wanted, and that's all it needs to be. That seems to me like it could be just one small question, asked more than once."

Caleb felt an immense relief, the feeling of being understood. That was all he really needed, someone else who appreciated keeping simple things simple when so much was already so complex. "I would like that," he said.

"But you are welcome to snuggle if you want," Clay said.

Caleb looked him over. "Maybe for just a minute," he said. The fur was quite inviting, after all.


End file.
